What is the lowest change in cardiac output that transthoracic echocardiography can detect?

ABSTRACT:

Background

In critically ill patients, changes in the velocity-time integral (VTI) of the left ventricular outflow tract, measured by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), are often used to non-invasively assess the response to fluid administration or for performing tests assessing fluid responsiveness. However, the precision of TTE measurements has not yet been investigated in such patients. First, we aimed at assessing how many measurements should be averaged within one TTE examination to reach a sufficient precision for various variables. Second, we aimed at identifying the least significant change (LSC) of these variables between successive TTE examinations.

Methods

We prospectively included 100 haemodynamically stable patients in whom TTE examination was planned. Three

SUBMITTER: Jozwiak M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6458708 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature